Not Another Blockbuster Night
by JodithGrace
Summary: Buffy returns a video and has an interesting encounter. Season 7, with spoilers for end of season 6


Not Another Blockbuster Night

By Jody E.

These characters do not belong to me, but rather to ME and Fox and Joss Whedon, and anybody else who actually makes money off of them. But not me. I just borrow them for my own amusement.

This story takes place in season 7, and contains spoilers and speculation about the finale of season 6. 

Yawning, Buffy hurried up the steps of her home, glad to be home after a long night of patrolling. The living room was dark except for the light of the television screen. In the dim light, Buffy saw Dawn, curled up on the sofa, a large bowl of popcorn besides her. Buffy quickly shucked off her jacket and plopped down next to her.

"What? You started movie night without me?"

"You were late, " Dawn explained matter-of-factly.

"There was a whole nest of vamps hanging out by…in the cemetery. Took a while to dust 'em all. Oh, Clem says hi."

"Cool, "Dawn said, smiling at the thought of the Shar-pei looking demon, "Does he have any news?"

"I didn't ask," Buffy replied shortly. "What's the movie?"

"_A Clockwork Orange._ It's really interesting."

"Oh. I've heard of it. I think. What have I missed so far?"

"Not much, you'll catch up."

Buffy took off her shoes and got more comfortable on the sofa. Suddenly she sat up straight. "Dawn...what the heck IS this? What is this movie rated? And how did you manage to rent it?"

Dawn sighed, and pushed the pause button on the remote. "It's only R, I think. And the old guy at Mondo Video sorta forgot to ask me for ID."

"Mondo Video, huh? Still not feeling the Blockbuster love?"

"Buffy, I told you. Blockbuster censors its movies and doesn't support letter boxing. And they won't let me rent there since I took those DVDs."

Buffy sighed, "And the ramifications just keep on ramifyin'," she shook her head, " You do know that we don't have a DVD player, right?"

"I was planning on stealing one next." At the look on Buffy's face she added hastily, "Hah. Just kidding." 

"Well, I'm still not sure I like the idea of you watching stuff like this."

"I've seen worse things on video….and in real life."

Buffy's eyes grew cold at the first part of Dawn's retort, but softened again at the second. Dawn was right. Between witnessing Spike and Anya's Magic box tryst and finding Tara's bloody body, there wasn't much in the way of sex and violence that the teen hadn't witnessed. A mere movie wouldn't make much difference at this point. 

She put her arm around Dawn's shoulder, and gave her a hug. "Fire away." She said.

Dawn put the movie back on and they watched in fascinated silence.

As the last strains of Beethoven's Ninth symphony faded away, Buffy quietly got up and gathered the popcorn bowl and soda cans. Dawn set the remote to rewind. "Do you think it's possible?" she asked Buffy suddenly.

Buffy stopped on her way to the kitchen, "Is what possible?"

"For a guy like that to really change?"

"Well, after what they did to him…"

"I know. It just kinda reminded me of…" but Buffy had disappeared into the kitchen.

Buffy came back in to the living room holding a pretty plant with purple flowers in a ceramic pot. "Is this yours?"

"No. I found it. On the back porch this afternoon, when I brought in the garbage cans. _Without_ needing to be told, by the way."

"Oh. Thanks," Buffy said absently, "I wonder who left it."

"I didn't know, so I took it over to the Magic Box and had it checked for bugs."

Buffy made a face, "Bugs? Like aphids?"

"No. Bugs! Like hidden cameras or microphones. Anya also checked it for magic spells and toxic fumes. She says it's clean. After our experience with the nerds, I figured it was better safe then sorry."

"Beware of Geeks bearing gifts? Well, that was good thinking on your part, Dawn, I'm impressed. You're thinking like a real Scooby." Buffy thought a minute, "You know? You've really been a help all summer. Maybe it's time to let you start patrolling."

Dawn lit up, "Oh really?"

"But, only with me. And not on school nights." 

"Sure." Dawn jumped up and gave Buffy a quick hug. "I can't wait!"

Dawn bent down and retrieved the video from the VCR. As she tucked it into its case, she studied the cover; "This was directed by Stanley Kubrick. The _2001 Space Odyssey_ guy."

"It's a pretty famous movie, I guess."

"Spi-somebody recommended the book to me once. I tried to read it, but it's all in that weird dialect, and really hard. So I never finished it."

Buffy smiled sadly, "You know Dawn, you _can_ say the S word. Really. It's okay."

Dawn started to giggle, "The S word? You do mean Spike, right?"

"Well, what else would I...oh. Yes. Spike. You _can_ say his name in front of me without causing major freakage. I just wanted you to know that."

"Good. I miss him. That's why, when I saw this movie in the classics bin, and I remembered him recommending the book and all, I just felt like seeing it, you know?"

"I know, hon."

"And Clem hasn't said anything? About if he's heard from Spike?"

"I haven't asked him. The last time I even mentioned Spike to him, he bit my head off, in that polite way of his, you know? Said it was none of my business. Which was true, I guess. So I haven't mentioned him since." 

"Hey," Dawn said brightly, "One good thing about Mondo Video is that it's open late!"

"And, why is that a good thing, Miss School-Starts-Tomorrow-and-No-Way-am-I-Going Out-Again?"

"Oh, just that I rented it last week, and it's kind due back tonight."

Buffy sighed, "Great. We can so not afford any more late video fees. I already owe Blockbuster my first born child. Where is this place?"

Dawn handed Buffy the video; "The address is on the box. Sorry."

Buffy sighed, loudly, "No rest for the Slayer. You go to bed, okay? Tomorrow it's back to school routine." Buffy put the plant down on the coffee table, put on her shoes and jacket once again and went out into the night.

Mondo Video was in the more rundown part of Sunnydale, a place where Buffy had fought more than a few demons and vampires. A seedy looking Laundromat and an equally seedy all night coffee shop flanked the small dimly lit storefront. A sign proclaiming the store to be OPEN, hung lopsidedly on the door. Buffy went in. A youngish clerk was talking to a middle-aged woman with orange hair, who didn't look quite human. Buffy couldn't put her finger on it, but she would bet anything that the woman was at least part demon. She dropped her video on the counter, and went into the store to see exactly what kind of movies they rented there. She walked over to a case labeled Romance, and was searching the titles. She had just picked up _Benny and Joon_, when she heard something that made her stop cold and listen.

"Well, the original French version is much darker then the American remake. For example, Bob, in the French film is a right bastard, not at all like that Gabriel Byrne bloke. Though I confess to bein' partial to Bridget Fonda in the American one. It's really all a matter o' taste, innit?"

It wasn't the words that froze her, but the voice. That deep timbre with the British accent. It was unmistakable. Buffy spun around expecting to see the blonde vampire who had been gone so many months, but the little shop was empty except for the demon woman and the clerk. She looked again at the clerk, and dropped the video she was holding.

His hair was no longer bleached blonde and slicked back, but medium brown and curly. Gone was the trademark black clothing. He wore a soft gray shirt and blue jeans, which did little to hide his slight but muscular build. However, there was no mistaking those cheekbones, even in profile as he spoke to the woman. Spike had returned.

At the clatter of the dropped video, Spike turned in Buffy's direction and their eyes met. He smiled slightly and nodded. Turning back to his customer, he rang up her video, and she left the store. He turned back, "Hello Buffy."

"Spike?" she approached the counter, leaving _Benny and Joon_ forgotten on the floor.

"Long time."

"Y-you're back."

"Pretty much."

"Since when?" 

"About a month give or take."

"A month! And you didn't tell anyone? D-does Clem know?"

Spike nodded, "Told him not to tell anyone." 

"But why?"

"Figured I was persona non gratis, these days. Decided to keep a low profile."

"Oh. Did Clem tell you what happened after you left?"

"About Tara and Willow? Yeah. I was really sorry to hear about Tara. She was a…good person. Even when she was teasin' me about leg cramps and such. But as for Red, well, I can't say it was much of a surprise. Always knew she was on the edge. She in London now?"

"Yes, Giles brought her to the Watcher's Council for rehabilitation. He visits her all the time, and I get letters from her every week. Real letters. They won't let her use a computer."

Spike winced, "Shut up in London with the Council of Wankers? Bet she wishes she was in prison. Listen, I have to close up here. D'ya mind waitin'? There's a coffee shop next door. It's bloody awful, but the best thing around this part o town."

Buffy stared at Spike, realizing that he was actually counting cash from the register.

"You're closing up? They actually let you near the money?"

Spike spoke with mock solemnity, "Well, nickin' cash from the register is no way to keep a job, Buffy. And now that I get paid, I really don't need to steal. Funny how that works, innit?"

Buffy waited, while Spike finished closing the register, a routine with which she was far too familiar. Holding up a ring of keys with what looked like pride, Spike escorted Buffy out the door which he locked behind him with a flourish after pulling down the security gates. 

They went into the dingy luncheonette next door. Buffy couldn't imagine the purpose of an all night coffee shop in this part of Sunnydale when any human with an ounce of brains was locked indoors at sunset, but it became obvious when she saw the clientele. Kind of a Willy's Bar for the tee-totaling demon, Buffy surmised. All eyes and horns turned towards her and Spike when they walked in, and just as quickly turned away. A waitress of sorts brought them a greasy menu. 

"I come here after work, pretty often," Spike said, after they ordered coffee, "It's convenient, but not much else. So tell me what happened with the witch."

The coffee arrived. Buffy sipped hers. It was dreadful. She hesitated. "I-it was bad. Really bad. We had totally underestimated Warren and his group. Because he was only a human, you know? But even Glory, with all her power, never managed to kill one of us. And when he got Tara, Willow just went right off the deep end."

"Wish I'd been there, "Spike said bitterly, "Maybe I could have..."

"There wasn't anything you could have done, Spike. They were humans. And as for Willow, I don't know what the hell she was, but she was way more powerful than anything even I could fight."

"How did you do it then?"

"Anya had called Giles and he came, teleported in by the Council, believe it or not, and together they drained Willow of her power, while Xander distracted her. He was the only one who could reach her at the end. I was pretty much a bystander."

"Well, I'm sure I could done somethin'."

"I did bring Dawn to your crypt for you to protect her. That's when I found out you were gone. Clem helped though."

Spike stared at Buffy in shock. "Y-you brought Dawn to stay with me? After I…after what I did? Why?"

"Spike. You and I have issues. Serious issues. But I knew that you would never hurt Dawn. Never. And she wanted to stay with you. She felt safe with you."

Spike studied his coffee cup. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Buffy studied Spike, as he struggled to control his emotions. Something was different about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, just like she had known that the video customer was part demon, but not quite how she knew. This was not the swaggering Spike she remembered. She decided to test the waters a bit.

"Well, enough about Sunnydale goings on. You're the one who's been away. So, let me get the most important question out of the way first. What in heaven's name happened to your hair?"

Spike smiled, glad that the Slayer seemed to have gotten her sense of humor back. "Well, I found myself separated from my hair products for a few months. And after a while, I just didn't care any more. This is easier."

"Clem says you went to Africa. Is that true? Africa?"

"Yeah. Took forever to get there, too. Had to sell my bike."

"But why? Clem wouldn't say." 

"Went to see this guy he knew about. In a cave somewhere in Tanzania, of all places. Pretty bloody inconvenient, if you ask me. Creepy demon type bloke with glowing green eyes and a swishing tail. Seemed to know all about me too. Even knew why I was there."

"Why _were_ you there, Spike?"

Spike stared into his coffee cup, "Wasn't it obvious, Buffy? I had to change _something_! I couldn't remain as I was, neither monster nor man. And since I had failed…badly…at being a man, I thought if I got the chip out, I could go back to being a monster at least. Clem thought this demon could help me."

At Spike's mention of the chip, Buffy gripped her cup. "You went to get the chip removed."

Spike nodded.

"So, did you?"

Spike looked into her eyes, "Well, now that's the big question, innit?" 

Buffy stared right back at him, "Well, what's the big _answer,_ Spike? I have to know."

"Oh, and why's that, Slayer? So you can stake me? I've been back a month. If I had wanted to kill your friends and family, well not to brag, but they'd be dead now. I'm not bloody Angelus, playin' mind games."

"So then why _did_ you come back? It was obviously not to see ..._us."_

"Well, Buffy, believe it or not, as much as I hate the place sometimes, Sunnydale is the closest thing I've had to a home for over a century. And-and I did come to see you, by the way. Came by last night, as a matter of fact...with a bit of a peace offering. Almost knocked too. But couldn't quite go through with it. Left the plant though."

"That purple plant? That was from you?"

"African violet. Seemed appropriate."

"It was beautiful. Thank you." 

The waitress kind of oozed over, and Buffy reached for her purse to pay for the coffee. But Spike forestalled her. "No let me, luv. Not often I could say that before." He handed the waitress a couple of dollars.

"I'll say. If I'd know you were going to pay, I'd have ordered the house special."

"You wouldn't want it, believe me. So what now?"

"I want to hear about Africa. And the chip. But I can't sit here another minute."

"I'll walk you home. It's hours yet till sunrise."

They got up and left the demon coffee shop, walking slowly back towards Buffy's house.

"I've been right near your crypt several times this past month. How come I haven't seen you?"

"Don't live there anymore, pet. Clem loves the place, had it all fixed up to his liking, and I didn't want to go back there. Too many memories. So, I traded with him. He had a little flat on Cherry Street. It's all I need, really. Except for a telly. Had to get one of those. Got a cable hookup and everything. He pays me half the rent he used to pay, so it works out for both of us."

"Good old Clem. So tell me about the chip."

"Same old Slayer. All cut right to the punchline. What about enjoyin' the tale?"

"Fine. Tell it any way you want. Just tell me, already."

They were passing the playground, and Spike sat down on one of the swings, Buffy reluctantly sat down on the other. She had no idea where this story was going, but she made mental note of the location of all her weapons.

Spike described his trip to Africa, from selling his motorbike in Los Angeles, to sneaking into the cargo hold of a jet flying to Nairobi, the only flight leaving for anywhere in Africa that night. It had been freezing cold, and airless, and the trip seemed to last an eternity. Finally, the plane had landed…in broad daylight, so he had almost fried before finding shelter in a packing crate, where he had waited the day away. The crate was as hot and airless, as the plane had been cold. Then there was the long night train ride to Tanzania. The train had been packed with people, noisy and smelly, not to mention the goats and crying babies. The noise was bad enough, but Spike had been unable to buy blood, beyond what little he had brought with him, so the smell of the teeming humanity around him was double torture. By the time he had reached the tiny village, where the cave of the demon was located, he was exhausted and half-starved. Spike didn't mention to Buffy that he had also been miserable, lonely and strangely homesick. 

"Demon laughed in my face, when I told him what I wanted. Said I was a poor excuse for a monster, and would never endure the trials. But I was determined, Buffy. You know me."

Buffy had to smile at this. She did know Spike. One of the first things that Angel had told her about him was that he was relentless, and never gave up. And that had proven to be true repeatedly.

"I said, give me your best shot. And he did."

"What kind of trials were they?"

"Some were physical, beatings, torture, fire, the usual stuff. But that was no problem for me. I've been tortured by experts. This demon was small potatoes compared to Glory, or Angelus, back in the day. " 

Or me, Buffy thought to herself. 

"But the physical torture was just to soften me up for the real thing. Visions and hallucinations. Harmony was there, if you can believe it. And Drusilla. And you. All accusin' me. And mockin' me. And forcin' me to relive moments of my life. The killin' of those two slayers. Among others. So many deaths."

"But those were the highlights of your life, " Buffy sneered, " Or so you told me. Sounds like it would have been fun for you."

"Maybe woulda been. Except that this time around I was playin' the part of the victim. Not fun. Not lookin' into my demon face and seein' death. And knowin' how it was gonna turn out each time. Feelin' _my _blood drain away, havin' _my_ heart ripped out. The railroad spikes. And a few creative things Dru and me cooked up over the years. Thought I would go mad. But I hung on, somehow. I endured it all."

"And this was all to get your chip out? Seems odd to me."

"He didn't give me much of a chance to suss it out. Just kept hitting' me with stuff, more and more. Finally, it seemed to all come to an end, though I don't know if it took weeks or only a few hours…seemed like a lifetime, and I found myself alone in the cave. Without so much as a bruise. And he appeared to me. He said, 'Vampire, you have done far better then I would have ever imagined. Your wish is granted.' He touched my head and I felt it dissolve. The chip. I knew it was gone."

"Good for you." Buffy said sadly.

"So, I'm feelin' like a new vampire, you know? All full o piss 'n vinegar. And I say, 'Thanks a lot, mate…. Now beam me home, Scotty, I got things to do, places to go, people to eat.'"

Buffy raised her eyebrows at this, but made no comment.

"But he says, 'One more thing, vampire.' And I think, Bloody hell…this wanker is as bad as that loan shark, with not lettin' you in on the full interest rate when you make the deal. Which is how I borrowed five lousy tabby cats and ended up owin' forty Siamese. 'I've got a little job for you, vampire,' he says."

"What kind of job?"

"Well, he tells me, that there is an old wise woman in the next village, who has been causin' him no end of trouble, counteractin' his spells and what not. All I have to do is take care of her for him, and he'll send me home. "

"You had to kill this old wise woman."

"Right. And I'm thinkin' no sweat. I'm hungry enough to eat a whole village, and if he wants this old bat to be first in line, who am I to argue? So, I say, 'lead on, Macduff!'"

Buffy felt in her pocket for her trusty stake. Spike could certainly tell a colorful tale, but if it ended the way it seemed to be headed….. 

"Well, that evenin' as soon as the sun set, I walked to the next village, which looked just like the one I left, and sure enough there was this old lady, squattin' in front of this little grass hut, tellin' a story to a bunch of children. She looked up at me, and I could tell right away that she knew what I was and what I was there to do. She shooed away the kiddies and stood up, and I saw that she was Tara."

"What?"

"Oh, she didn't look like Tara. Not in the slightest. She was old, for one thing, and fat, and black as the ace of spades."

"Spike!"

"So call the bloody PC Police. I'm statin' a fact, is all. But there was just somethin' about her that reminded me of Tara. Maybe it was her voice. Or her manner. Didn't know then that Tara was dead, but maybe her spirit was there, you know? "

"I know. Sometimes I think I see her, too."

"Well, I looked at her, and she looked at me, and finally she says, 'Well, vampire? I've been livin' a long, long time. I've no regrets. Do what you come to do.'"

Buffy stared at Spike with bated breath, waiting for him to continue.

"I coulda had it all, Buffy. My old life back. All I had to do was kill an old bird who was ready to die. But, like a stupid git, I turned and walked away. I was cursin' myself for my weakness, every which way, when I hear a voice callin' me, 'Vampire!' I turned around and right before my eyes, the old lady began to…. change…first into the demon from the cave, and then into an old man in tribal dress, holding some kind of wooden staff all covered in feathers and beads. I figured it was more hallucinations, my punishment for failing the demon. But the old man walked up to me like we were old mates. Said he was called Fanuc, shaman of the village, and friend of Clem's cousin Clarence. Seems that the demon and the old lady are just forms he likes to assume from time to time, when folks come to him with requests. He said that the demon tends to discourage the frivolous. He then told me that I had passed the tests with flying colors…all of them, and that he would give me what I most desired."

"But the chip was already out, wasn't it?" 

"That's what _I _said. And he told me that wasn't what I truly desired. If it had been, I would have eaten the old lady…or at least tried. He put his hand on my heart. I thought for one awful second that he was going to bring me back to life...make me a human again, and I started to back away. But he smiled and though I hadn't said anythin', he answered me, 'No, I know that's not what you want. You would be no use to the Slayer as a mortal man. This is better. You'll see.'"

Buffy stared at Spike, eyes wide. She tried to imagine him as a human and failed. There was always something about Spike that was larger than life somehow. 

"He started to glow with a white light and the glow spread to me. I can't describe what I felt, but it was so intense that I must have fainted. And when I came to, on the floor of the hut, the old lady was there with me. I was all groggy and confused, and she gave me a gourd full of cow's blood, donated by the Masai, she said. I asked about Fanuc and what he had done to me, and she said that I should try to rest, that I would find out soon enough."

"She wouldn't tell you what they did to you?"

Spike shook his head. "I fell asleep. And I had a dream, a nightmare. A horrible nightmare. I dreamt that I was a vampire, a killer. That I had murdered thousands of innocent people. That I was an evil disgusting thing, an outcast, an abomination. And Buffy, when I woke up, I discovered it was true. All of it," 

Spike suddenly stood up, as though he had to get away. He began to stride furiously towards Buffy's house. Buffy jumped up and followed him, desperate to hear the end of the story. She caught up with him, and saw that he was crying.

"Spike, tell me." She cried, grabbing his shoulder. He pulled away, as though her touch burned him, but dried his eyes and continued.

"Buffy. In all the years since I've been a vampire I've felt guilt a few times, for….hurting you or letting you or Dawn down, but this was different. This was suffocating, excruciating, beyond imagining. The weight of all my crimes was overwhelming. I wanted to dig myself a hole and hide. I might have crawled out of the hut and dusted myself in the blazing African sun, except that I was too ashamed to even be seen in the light. I craved the darkness and solitude of the hut. I stayed like that, huddled in a corner, all alone for two days and two nights."

"My God, Spike." 

"Finally, the old lady came back. She told me that Fanuc had many sides. The demon was the Punisher, Fanuc himself was the Restorer, and she was the Comforter. She put her hand on my head and I saw some more visions. This time they were different. More recent. Visions of me helping you and your friends; that funny look on Tara's face when I punched her that time to prove she wasn't a demon; the relief in a woman's eyes, when I helped her in the Bronze. You inviting me back into your house to help against Glory, the kiss you gave me after I didn't tell Glory about Dawn. Playing endless card games with Dawn last summer, joking with Giles, fightin' along side Red and even Xander. Savin' you from the dancin' demon. It wasn't much, just a drop in the bucket, compared to my crimes, but even a drop of water is like heaven to a man dyin' of thirst. When I came back to myself, I looked up, and there was Fanuc."

"He squatted down and looked at me. I said, 'You gave me a soul, didn't you? As punishment for my crimes.' I knew all about that, as you well know. But his answer surprised me.

'Not a punishment, William. I gave you only what you truly wanted. Though it's not exactly a reward either, as you can see. In truth, I didn't give you anything that you didn't already have.'

'What do you mean?' I demanded, 'I've never felt like this before.'

'But you have,' he insisted, 'You just needed to expand your parameters a little, beyond one woman and her sister, to the rest of the human race. But you were getting there on you own, slowly but surely'

'Then why give me this bloody soul, at all? What is it good for besides turnin' me into bloody mother Theresa?'

'It won't make you into Mother Theresa, William. A soul doesn't make you do good things. It certainly doesn't make humans any better, does it? At best it can be a sort of road map, or for want of a better word, a conscience. But it can be all too easy to ignore, I'm afraid.' 

'Then why did I truly want the damn thing, since you keep insisting that I did?'

"William. Who is better off in the job market these days, a man with a college diploma, or an equally intelligent man one without?'

'Job market? What are you goin' on about, and since when does an African shaman talk like an Oxford professor?'

'Funny you should ask that. I did teach a few courses at Oxford several years ago. But please answer my question.'

'Well, a diploma doesn't prove anythin' but the bloke has got one has a better shot.'

'Exactly. It's all a matter of perception. With a soul, people will perceive you differently. Before, nobody expected you to do good, and when you did, they barely noticed. When you slipped up, you were just living down to their expectations. It's not that you weren't able to change on your own, but nobody could see that potential in you. Even you didn't see it, really. Now, perhaps you will expect a bit more from yourself as well.'

'Well that's all well and good. But what about all this guilt? How can I atone for all that I've done?'

'You can't. But how you choose to deal with the guilt is up to you. You can huddle in a corner for the rest of your unlife, or you can put it behind you, and try to do better in future.'

'Well, I can't go back there. To Sunnydale. I can't face them like this. Not yet.'

'I had a feeling that you might say that. I have much work to do here, if you would like to stay and help me for a while. We have our own demons and evil spirits to fight, and we could use a good warrior.''

Spike and Buffy had reached Revello Drive as he was relaying his conversation with Fanuc. They stopped by the oak tree in front of her house. 

"So I stayed in Tanzania for the rest of the summer, basically helpin' out and getting' back on my feet.. Got some interestin' demons there too; different than the Sunnydale lot, but it was pretty much standard Scooby stuff. Coulda stayed there forever, I guess. But I knew that sooner or later I had to come back and face you. So, last month I did come back. Had to get myself settled and all, and was just workin' up the courage to come see you, Buffy. Funny you walkin' into that video store like that."

"Dawn rented a movie there last week. She said it was an old guy that waited on her."

"That's Frank. Bloke owns the place. He's the one hired me," Spike chuckled, " I'm not sure he knows I'm a vampire. He's not the sharpest tack in the box, but he's a good guy."

"Spike, what you've been telling me…that is an incredible story. To think you actually have a soul now. I knew you were different as soon as I saw you. More than the hair, I mean." As she spoke, birds began to twitter and sing in an early morning cacophony, "Look, it's late, I mean early. You'd better come in, unless you want to run all the way home. Besides Dawn will be getting up soon, and she will want to see you. School starts today, you know."

"Does it? Thanks. I missed the Nibblet. Towards the end, that was all I could think about…getting back to Sunnydale."

They headed into the house. Spike looked around the Buffy's living room. "Nothin' like livin' in a grass hut to make you appreciate the amenities.."

"Speaking of amenities, excuse me a minute. I'll be right back. Sit." Buffy ran upstairs.

Spike sat down remembering the first time he had been in the Summer's living room, when he had joined with Buffy to defeat Angelus. He and Joyce had stared uncomfortably at each other. Poor Joyce. And now Tara.

When Buffy came down, he asked her, "Where is Tara buried? I'd like to pay my respects."

Tears came to Buffy's eyes, "Her parents came and got her and took her back to Tennessee for burial. We had no way to stop them. We never even got to go to her funeral, since we were dealing with Willow at the time and couldn't get away. It's not what she would have wanted."

"That's too bad. Did Xander and Anya ever get back together?"

"Not yet. Anya went all vengeance demony again, and Xander is trying to come to terms with it. It's slow going. Did you know about Anya being a demon again...I mean when you two…" 

Spike looked down, "No, didn't notice. Maybe if I'd been sober…but then again maybe if I'd been sober, a lot of things wouldn't have happened…Buffy, about that night…I am so sorry…"

"Spike. I've had a lot of time to think since you've been gone. We both have things to answer for. I treated you pretty badly also. I'm willing to forgive if you are."

"I forgave you long ago."

"Me too, Oh…I have something of yours. Your duster."

Spike shook his head. " Keep it. Burn it. Give it to the bloody Salvation Army. I don't want it any more."

Buffy smiled, "Okay. I guess you've had it with the old ultraviolence, huh?"

"Guess it's about time I grew up. Put it off longer than most."

"A soul, huh?" Buffy smiled mischievously, "Won't Angel be surprised?"

Spike laughed, "Yeah...thinkin' about the look on his face almost makes the whole ordeal worthwhile."

"Uh…speaking of Angel…won't, uh, _celibacy_ be a problem?"

"Buffy. There's something you should know. Angelus' soul was inflicted on him as a curse, a punishment. Mine was a gift, a blessing…undeserved, but never the less. So…no happiness clause. Just mentioning."

"I see. Interesting."

At that moment, that was a clatter from upstairs as Dawn came running down in her bathrobe, "Buffy, who are you talking to down.." She froze when she saw Buffy and Spike standing together in the living room.

Buffy smiled up at her sister, "Dawn! _Look _what I brought home from the video store!" 

The End


End file.
